How to stop rogue redirects to finderssearching.com

What kind of website is finderssearching.com?

Finderssearching.com is the address of a fake search engine discovered by our research team promoted through a rogue installer, which was pushed by a deceptive webpage. Illegitimate search engines usually cannot provide search results and collect visitor data. In most cases, these websites are endorsed via redirects caused by browser hijackers.

How do browser hijackers promote finderssearching.com?

Browser-hijacking software usually modifies the following browser settings: default search engine, homepage, and new tab/window. Due to these alterations, users may be forced to visit a promoted site when they open a new browser tab/window or enter a search query into the URL bar.

Additionally, browser hijackers can use persistence-ensuring mechanisms, such as denying access to removal-related settings or undoing user-made changes – to complicate their removal and prevent users from restoring their browsers.

Fake search engines typically cannot generate search results, so they redirect to legitimate Internet search websites. At the time of research, we noted finderssearching.com redirecting both to the Google (google.com) and Bing (bing.com) search engines. It is noteworthy that this webpage could land elsewhere, as factors like user geolocation might influence redirects.

Fraudulent search engines and browser-hijacking software usually gather sensitive information. Targeted data may include: searched queries, visited URLs, viewed pages, Internet cookies, account log-in credentials, personally identifiable details, finance-related information, etc. This vulnerable data can be monetized via sale to third-parties.

To summarize, the presence of browser hijackers on devices may result in system infections, severe privacy issues, financial losses, and even identity theft.

Threat Summary:

Name	finderssearching.com browser hijacker
Threat Type	Browser Hijacker, Redirect, Search Hijacker, Toolbar, Unwanted New Tab
Affected Browser Settings	Homepage, new tab URL, default search engine
Detection Names (finderssearching.com)	N/A (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address (finderssearching.com)	104.21.60.214
Detection Names (installer)	McAfee (Trojan-FWEM!65498B66523E), Skyhigh (SWG) (Trojan-FWEM!65498B66523E), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Symptoms	Manipulated Internet browser settings (homepage, default Internet search engine, new tab settings). Users are forced to visit the hijacker's website and search the Internet using their search engines.
Distribution methods	Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling).
Damage	Internet browser tracking (potential privacy issues), display of unwanted ads, redirects to dubious websites.
Malware Removal (Windows)	To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Fake search engine and browser hijacker examples

Ysearcher.com, mobilisearch.com, ssj4.io – are just some examples of fake search engines we have investigated recently, and Pure MathCalc Hub, CleanHub Tabs, City Weather Forecast Hub – of browser hijackers.

These sites and software often appear legitimate and harmless. Users may be enticed by promises of various "useful" functionalities or features. However, it is rare for either to operate as advertised. Keep in mind that even if a website or app/extension works as indicated by its promotional material – that is not a guarantee of legitimacy or safety.

How did finderssearching.com promoting software install on my computer?

We downloaded an installer promoting finderssearching.com from a deceptive webpage. Sites endorsing such content can appear legitimate or use fake warnings or other claims (i.e., online scams) to lure visitors into downloading/installing.

Users primarily access these pages via redirects generated by websites employing rogue advertising networks, mistyped URLs, intrusive ads, spam browser notifications, or installed adware.

Browser hijackers can also be bundled with regular programs. The threat of unintentionally allowing bundled content into the system is increased by downloading from untrustworthy sources (e.g., freeware and free file-hosting sites, P2P sharing networks, etc.) and by treating installation processes with negligence (e.g., using "Easy/Quick" settings, etc.).

Browser-hijacking software is spread by intrusive adverts as well. When clicked on, some of these advertisements can execute scripts to perform downloads/installations without user consent.

How to avoid installation of browser hijackers?

We advise researching software and downloading it only from official/verified channels. When installing, it is essential to read terms, explore available options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of all supplements (e.g., apps, extensions, features, etc.).

Fraudulent and dangerous online content usually appears genuine and harmless – therefore, it is crucial to be careful while browsing. For example, while intrusive ads may look innocuous – they redirect users to unreliable and questionable websites (e.g., scam-promoting, adult dating, gambling, pornography, etc.).

In case of continuous encounters with such advertisements/redirects, check the system and immediately remove all dubious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins. If your computer is already infected with browser hijackers, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate them.

Appearance of finderssearching.com redirecting to the Google search engine (GIF):

Screenshot of a website promoting the installer used to inject finderssearching[.]com into the browser:

Screenshot of the said installer:

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▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Quick menu:

• What is finderssearching.com?
• STEP 1. Uninstall unwanted applications using Control Panel.
• STEP 2. Remove finderssearching.com browser hijacker from Google Chrome.
• STEP 3. Remove finderssearching.com homepage and default search engine from Mozilla Firefox.
• STEP 4. Remove finderssearching.com redirect from Safari.
• STEP 5. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.

Finderssearching.com redirect removal:

Windows 11 users:

Right-click on the Start icon, select Apps and Features. In the opened window search for the application you want to uninstall, after locating it, click on the three vertical dots and select Uninstall.

Windows 10 users:

Right-click in the lower left corner of the screen, in the Quick Access Menu select Control Panel. In the opened window choose Programs and Features.

Windows 7 users:

Click Start (Windows Logo at the bottom left corner of your desktop), choose Control Panel. Locate Programs and click Uninstall a program.

macOS (OSX) users:

Click Finder, in the opened screen select Applications. Drag the app from the Applications folder to the Trash (located in your Dock), then right click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.

In the uninstall programs window: look for any recently installed suspicious applications, select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".

After uninstalling the potentially unwanted applications, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.

Finderssearching.com redirect removal from Internet browsers:

Video showing how to remove browser redirects:

Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Extensions" and click "Manage Extensions". Locate all recently-installed suspicious extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".

Change your homepage:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section, disable the malicious extension (if present), look for a browser hijacker URL (hxxp://www.finderssearching.com) below the "Open a specific or set of pages" option. If present click on the three vertical dots icon and select "Remove".

Change your default search engine:

To change your default search engine in Google Chrome: Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "Settings", in the "Search engine" section, click "Manage search engines...", in the opened list look for "finderssearching.com", when located click the three vertical dots near this URL and select "Delete".

• If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Google Chrome.

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the finderssearching.com browser hijacker, reset your Google Chrome browser settings. Click the Chrome menu icon  (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) and select Settings. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen. Click the Advanced… link.

After scrolling to the bottom of the screen, click the Reset (Restore settings to their original defaults) button.

In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Google Chrome settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

Remove malicious plugins from Mozilla Firefox:

Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons and themes". Click "Extensions", in the opened window locate all recently-installed suspicious extensions, click on the three dots and then click "Remove".

Change your homepage:

To reset your homepage, click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window), then select "Settings", in the opened window disable malicious extension (if present), remove hxxp://finderssearching.com and enter your preferred domain, which will open each time you start Mozilla Firefox.

Change your default search engine:

In the URL address bar, type "about:config" and press Enter. Click "Accept the Risk and Continue".

In the search filter at the top, type: "extensionControlled". Set both results to "false" by either double-clicking each entry or clicking the button.

Optional method:

Computer users who have problems with finderssearching.com browser hijacker removal can reset their Mozilla Firefox settings.

Open Mozilla Firefox, at the top right corner of the main window, click the Firefox menu, in the opened menu, click Help.

Select Troubleshooting Information.

In the opened window, click the Refresh Firefox button.

In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Mozilla Firefox settings to default by clicking the Refresh Firefox button.

Remove malicious extensions from Safari:

Make sure your Safari browser is active and click Safari menu, then select Preferences...

In the preferences window select the Extensions tab. Look for any recently installed suspicious extensions and uninstall them.

In the preferences window select General tab and make sure that your homepage is set to a preferred URL, if its altered by a browser hijacker - change it.

In the preferences window select Search tab and make sure that your preferred Internet search engine is selected.

Optional method:

Make sure your Safari browser is active and click on Safari menu. From the drop down menu select Clear History and Website Data...

In the opened window select all history and click the Clear History button.

Remove malicious extensions from Microsoft Edge:

Click the Edge menu icon  (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Extensions". Locate any recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons, and remove them.

Change your homepage and new tab settings:

Click the Edge menu icon  (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Settings". In the "On startup" section look for the name of the browser hijacker and click "Disable".

Change your default Internet search engine:

To change your default search engine in Microsoft Edge: Click the Edge menu icon  (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Privacy and services", scroll to bottom of the page and select "Address bar". In the "Search engines used in address bar" section look for the name of the unwanted Internet search engine, when located click the "Disable" button near it. Alternatively you can click on "Manage search engines", in the opened menu look for unwanted Internet search engine. Click on the puzzle icon near it and select "Disable".

Optional method:

If you continue to have problems with removal of the finderssearching.com browser hijacker, reset your Microsoft Edge browser settings. Click the Edge menu icon  (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge) and select Settings.

In the opened settings menu select Reset settings.

Select Restore settings to their default values. In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Microsoft Edge settings to default by clicking the Reset button.

• If this did not help, follow these alternative instructions explaining how to reset the Microsoft Edge browser.

Summary:

A browser hijacker is a type of adware infection that modifies Internet browser settings by assigning the homepage and default Internet search engine settings to some other (unwanted) website URL. Commonly, this type of adware infiltrates operating systems through free software downloads. If your download is managed by a download client, ensure that you decline offers to install advertised toolbars or applications that seek to change your homepage and default Internet search engine settings.

Post a comment:
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the purpose of forcing users to visit finderssearching.com website?

The motivation behind developing software that generates rogue redirects to websites like finderssearching.com is profit.

Is visiting finderssearching.com a threat to my privacy?

Most likely, yes. Sites classed as fake search engines (e.g., finderssearching.com, etc.) typically collect information about their visitors. The data may then be sold to third-parties.

How did a browser hijacker infiltrate my computer?

Browser-hijacking software is primarily distributed via deceptive promotional webpages, bundled installation setups, freeware and free file-hosting websites, online scams, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, spam browser notifications, and intrusive advertisements.

Will Combo Cleaner help me remove browser hijackers?

Yes, Combo Cleaner can scan systems and eliminate detected browser-hijacking applications. Keep in mind that manual removal (performed without the aid of security tools) might not be an ideal solution. In cases where multiple browser hijackers are present, after one is removed – the others may reinstall it. Furthermore, this software might be capable of rendering removal-related settings inaccessible. Therefore, it is paramount to eliminate browser hijackers thoroughly and all at once.

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